Amador County – The Amador Catholic Center is seeking a lot split and a Use Permit for its planned church in Martell, and the request will get consideration by the Amador County Technical Advisory Committee next week.

The Technical Advisory Committee Wednesday will consider a three-way lot split of the former Prospect Motors property and also the Use Permit request to allow a church on the property located west of State Route 49 in Martell, on the west side of Prospect Drive, in the Sierra West Business Park.

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sacramento has proposed the division of the 11.61 acre parcel into three parcels of approximately 6.8, 3.25 and 1.56 acres each. The Bishop also is requesting a Use Permit for a church there, namely the Amador Catholic Center. The church would be located on a parcel that is zoned “M” for Manufacturing, according to county code.

The Technical Advisory Committee members, according to the announced meeting agenda, “will review the application for completeness prior to acceptance,” and will “evaluate potential environmental impacts, propose conditions” and/or “mitigation measures, and make a project recommendation to the Planning Commission.”

The Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, in Conference Room A at the County Administration Center in Jackson.

Three Amador County Catholic parishes and the Diocese of Sacramento purchased the former Prospect Motors building and land last December as a home to the all-new Amador Catholic Center, a multi-purpose facility to support the social and spiritual needs of all three parishes.

Sacred Heart of Ione, St. Patrick’s in Jackson and Immaculate Conception in Sutter Creek churches will continue having weekday and Sunday masses, but the three parishes will consolidate some social, educational and other activities at the new Center, including some masses.

Sacramento Bishop, the Most Reverend Jaime Soto in December said it was “the culmination of 10 years of discussion and planning,” and “with a declining number of priests we have to find ways to share resources.”

Father Liam MacCarthy, the former pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, was appointed by Soto to manage the project and serve as interim pastor of the three parishes, taking over for Father Tom Seabridge, who on January 1st was to begin a six-month sabbatical before his next assignment.

The Center will have worship space with up to 600 seats, a youth center and gymnasium, offices, classrooms, kitchen and a large social hall.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – In May, the East Bay Municipal Utility District issued a precaution that some fish in Pardee Lake and Camanche Lake in Amador County may contain high levels of mercury.

The announcement said the public health departments of Amador, Calaveras, and San Joaquin counties and the East Bay Municipal Utility District advise the public to follow general “fish eating precautions” published by the California Environmental Protection Agency.

East Bay Municipal said “possibly harmful levels of mercury have been found in some fish at Camanche and Pardee Reservoirs. Fish that tested at high levels at Camanche Reservoir include bluegill, channel and hard head catfish, crappie, carp and largemouth bass.” At Pardee Reservoir, “some channel catfish and largemouth bass” also tested at high levels. “Mercury has been identified in certain fish species from many of the waters of California, with most of it coming from past gold mining.”

The notice said “fish in California waters take in mercury as they feed. The main way people get mercury is through eating the fish. Fish are part of a healthy diet. But people need to limit the type and amount of fish that are eaten.

“It is important for pregnant or nursing women, women of childbearing age, and young children to limit eating fish. Mercury can affect the unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system.”

EPA “fish eating precautions” say that women age 18-45 years, and all pregnant and nursing women, and children under 18 years should limit eating freshwater fish to one meal a week. That one meal consists of 6 ounces of cooked fish or 8 ounces of uncooked fish for an adult. For a child, one meal is 2 ounces of cooked fish or 3 ounces of uncooked fish.

Other adults should limit eating freshwater fish to two meals a week. EPA also precautions that all people should eat less predatory fish, such a bass, and bottom feeding fish, such as catfish and carp, that are likely to have higher levels of mercury.

For all people, rainbow trout and kokanee are usually the safest sport fish to eat. Eat smaller fish (within the legal size) because they have less mercury. Eat fish from a variety of locations around lakes, reservoirs or rivers. Clean fish before cooking, eat only muscle or fillets and throw away the guts, liver and skin.

For more information, visit the recreation area concession and East Bay Municipal’s offices for printed brochures.

East Bay Municipal said the mercury levels in Pardee and Camanche reservoirs “meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water quality criteria and the drinking water meets or is better than California Department of Public Health requirements.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council on Monday approved seeking a contract manager for the city wastewater treatment plant, with the intent to try to retain city maintenance workers.

The council voted 3-2 to authorize City Manager Sean Rabe to try to work out a contract for a manager to oversee the plant’s operation, and potentially managing the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority.

Rabe presented full plant operation proposals from Perc Incorporated, and HydroScience Operations, which he boiled down to about $3,000 difference in costs, and the council steered toward hiring a manager.

Mayor Tim Murphy said it was an opportunity to fix recurring problems, such as seasonal regular leaks, and infiltration. He said “it costs us a lot of money to treat the infiltrated water,” and those chronic problems “point to a lack of coordinated planning for general maintenance of the city.” He said “longtime problems” should be fixed, but it “doesn’t seem like the right time to contract out,” and it would be better to add a professional person who can teach city staff to run the system well.

Councilman Jim Swift said the city spent a lot of time, effort and money with Wyatt Troxel, who turned around the plant, and brought it into compliance. He said a $1,200 fix on its smoke testing machine would allow the city to repair its own sewer lines. Swift said contracting might be appropriate in the future.

Councilwoman Sandy Anderson dissented, saying “the idea of risk transfer is huge to me.” The companies would assume liability in full contract plant operation. She wondered about hiring maintenance people for parks and recreation and other work, but was “on the fence about risk.”

Mayor Pro Tempore Linda Rianda also dissented, agreeing that “risk will probably direct my decision.” She said: “I watched Rob Duke manage the plant, and I believe we need more out there. I like the idea of contracting out there.” She said it would allow Rabe to focus on other areas of the city.

Swift said he was in favor of having someone with experience oversee the plant. Murphy said the companies both said they were open to hiring city maintenance workers, but PERC offered to hire two of the four, and HydroScience offered to hire three. He said “we’ll be back here a year from now talking about the same issues if we don’t get it right.”

Councilman Gary Wooten said both companies would do a good job, but he would like to keep city employees. He said Rabe is under a lot of pressure, and they need a part time wastewater plant manager. He said if ARSA would vote to fund part of the position, the manager could be put in charge of ARSA as well.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-9-11 - TSPN's Tom Slivick sits down with new CAL-FIRE Amador-El Dorado Unit Chief Kelly Keenan.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-9-11

·       Sutter Creek approved hiring a wastewater treatment plant operator, in an effort to retain its maintenance employees.

·       AWA sets budget workshop, president expects a late mid-July final budget.

·       Officials urged limiting the amount of fish people eat from Camanche and Pardee lakes, due to mercury levels found in some fish there.

·       The Amador Catholic Center is seeking a lot split and a Use Permit for a church in Martell.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-9-11

·       Sutter Creek approved hiring a wastewater treatment plant operator, in an effort to retain its maintenance employees.

·       AWA sets budget workshop, president expects a late mid-July final budget.

·       Officials urged limiting the amount of fish people eat from Camanche and Pardee lakes, due to mercury levels found in some fish there.

·       The Amador Catholic Center is seeking a lot split and a Use Permit for a church in Martell.

Amador County News, TSPN TV News Video, 6-9-11 - TSPN's Tom Slivick sits down with new CAL-FIRE Amador-El Dorado Unit Chief Kelly Keenan.

Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council on Monday approved seeking a contract manager for the city wastewater treatment plant, with the intent to try to retain city maintenance workers.

The council voted 3-2 to authorize City Manager Sean Rabe to try to work out a contract for a manager to oversee the plant’s operation, and potentially managing the Amador Regional Sanitation Authority.

Rabe presented full plant operation proposals from Perc Incorporated, and HydroScience Operations, which he boiled down to about $3,000 difference in costs, and the council steered toward hiring a manager.

Mayor Tim Murphy said it was an opportunity to fix recurring problems, such as seasonal regular leaks, and infiltration. He said “it costs us a lot of money to treat the infiltrated water,” and those chronic problems “point to a lack of coordinated planning for general maintenance of the city.” He said “longtime problems” should be fixed, but it “doesn’t seem like the right time to contract out,” and it would be better to add a professional person who can teach city staff to run the system well.

Councilman Jim Swift said the city spent a lot of time, effort and money with Wyatt Troxel, who turned around the plant, and brought it into compliance. He said a $1,200 fix on its smoke testing machine would allow the city to repair its own sewer lines. Swift said contracting might be appropriate in the future.

Councilwoman Sandy Anderson dissented, saying “the idea of risk transfer is huge to me.” The companies would assume liability in full contract plant operation. She wondered about hiring maintenance people for parks and recreation and other work, but was “on the fence about risk.”

Mayor Pro Tempore Linda Rianda also dissented, agreeing that “risk will probably direct my decision.” She said: “I watched Rob Duke manage the plant, and I believe we need more out there. I like the idea of contracting out there.” She said it would allow Rabe to focus on other areas of the city.

Swift said he was in favor of having someone with experience oversee the plant. Murphy said the companies both said they were open to hiring city maintenance workers, but PERC offered to hire two of the four, and HydroScience offered to hire three. He said “we’ll be back here a year from now talking about the same issues if we don’t get it right.”

Councilman Gary Wooten said both companies would do a good job, but he would like to keep city employees. He said Rabe is under a lot of pressure, and they need a part time wastewater plant manager. He said if ARSA would vote to fund part of the position, the manager could be put in charge of ARSA as well.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors announced plans for a budget workshop next week, and its president predicted a late balanced budget.

Board President Director Don Cooper said he expected the budget to be finalized by mid-July, after the start of the fiscal year. Agency General Manager Gene Mancebo said negotiations continue with employee bargaining units.

In “public matters not on the agenda,” Bill Condrashoff asked for the May “cash flow chart.” He also mentioned that information requests by the public were delayed or denied. Mancebo said “there are some pretty voluminous requests” and “some are not clear, and we’re asking for requests to be a little bit more definitive.” He said the cash flow chart typically takes about 10 days to produce.

Thornton Consolo said he was concerned about how much money the AWA owes to Sutter Creek, and if it was delinquent. He asked if there was an amount “agreed upon” to be owed for municipal wastewater capacity improvement.

Mancebo said “there is no agreement for past due dollars,” and the agency is waiting for a response from Sutter Creek. He said the agency paid some invoices, but there will not be more payments until Sutter Creek makes the final computation of the cost share. At their last meeting, Mancebo said Sutter Creek’s City Manager Sean Rabe was awaiting confirmation of numbers from City Finance Director Joe Aguilar, who needs to get the right numbers to find the correct shares.

Mancebo said “we are making an attempt to settle this.” Consolo asked him if the agency had a “minimum amount agreed upon” that it owed Sutter Creek. Mancebo said there was not. Agency Counsel Stephen Kronick then stopped Consolo, saying that the “public comment period is for comment. It’s not for cross examination or interrogation.”

Consolo said “there should be a summary given” and he believed “you owe Sutter Creek more cash than you have.” Director Paul Molinelli said “it is safe to say the agency owes Sutter Creek some money.” The directors said they fully intend to pay the city what it was owed.

Mancebo said until the numbers are finalized, they did not know the amount, though they could estimate the cost the agency owes.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Amador County – In May, the East Bay Municipal Utility District issued a precaution that some fish in Pardee Lake and Camanche Lake in Amador County may contain high levels of mercury.

The announcement said the public health departments of Amador, Calaveras, and San Joaquin counties and the East Bay Municipal Utility District advise the public to follow general “fish eating precautions” published by the California Environmental Protection Agency.

East Bay Municipal said “possibly harmful levels of mercury have been found in some fish at Camanche and Pardee Reservoirs. Fish that tested at high levels at Camanche Reservoir include bluegill, channel and hard head catfish, crappie, carp and largemouth bass.” At Pardee Reservoir, “some channel catfish and largemouth bass” also tested at high levels. “Mercury has been identified in certain fish species from many of the waters of California, with most of it coming from past gold mining.”

The notice said “fish in California waters take in mercury as they feed. The main way people get mercury is through eating the fish. Fish are part of a healthy diet. But people need to limit the type and amount of fish that are eaten.

“It is important for pregnant or nursing women, women of childbearing age, and young children to limit eating fish. Mercury can affect the unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system.”

EPA “fish eating precautions” say that women age 18-45 years, and all pregnant and nursing women, and children under 18 years should limit eating freshwater fish to one meal a week. That one meal consists of 6 ounces of cooked fish or 8 ounces of uncooked fish for an adult. For a child, one meal is 2 ounces of cooked fish or 3 ounces of uncooked fish.

Other adults should limit eating freshwater fish to two meals a week. EPA also precautions that all people should eat less predatory fish, such a bass, and bottom feeding fish, such as catfish and carp, that are likely to have higher levels of mercury.

For all people, rainbow trout and kokanee are usually the safest sport fish to eat. Eat smaller fish (within the legal size) because they have less mercury. Eat fish from a variety of locations around lakes, reservoirs or rivers. Clean fish before cooking, eat only muscle or fillets and throw away the guts, liver and skin.

For more information, visit the recreation area concession and East Bay Municipal’s offices for printed brochures.

East Bay Municipal said the mercury levels in Pardee and Camanche reservoirs “meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water quality criteria and the drinking water meets or is better than California Department of Public Health requirements.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.